Common Mistakes To Avoid In Your Resume
I just completed my fifth resume writing clinic under the SGUS initiative today.
Aimed at providing job opportunities to job seekers to help them acquire the skillsets and capabilities to access employment possibilities, I found three common traits amongst many participants that’s worth highlighting.
So here’s what you should NOT be doing in your resume as it’s akin to performing harikiri.
Tip #1: The Job Description Is Not Your Work Experience
After reviewing the resumes, I observed job seekers were pasting the entire job description into the work experience section.
If you are guilty of this as well, stop.
The job description is NOT your work experience.
The job description outlines the roles and responsibilities of the position. In other words, it is a guide as to what you should be doing. It does not tell the recruiters what you have done.
And because you paste the entire job description in your resume, the length of the resume stretches to six, seven or even eight pages! Now that’s too long.
Your work experience should instead include three-to-four bulleted points on your achievements under each work period.
By focusing on your achievements, you are also doing yourself a favour because you will definitely be able to trim your resume down to the page limit.
Tip #2: Do Not Mix Up Your Tenses
Another common mistake is the use of different tenses in the resume. Some sentences are in the present tense while other are in the past tense. Avoid mixing up your tenses.
You should only use the past tense in your resume. This applies to all the entries, whether they belong to the Work Experience, Education or Professional Summary section because the information is based on the past.
Therefore, use your action verbs in the past tense.
Tip #3: Branding Statements Are Missing
Your resume is all about you and your brand. If you don’t sell yourself via your resume, how can you expect the recruiters to even consider you for the interview?
Stop selling yourself short by giving bland statements.
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Example: Served daily walk-in statements.
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Honestly, there is nothing wrong with this statement. But it is just bland. And bland statements don’t stick in the minds of recruiters.
Now, let us rewrite this statement.
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Rewritten Example : Delivered excellent customer service in the fast-paced F&B industry while mediating conflicts using a “customers first” approach to ensure resolution and satisfaction.
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What I have done is showcase how different I am from the others seeking the same position by branding myself effectively. And by branding myself in my resume, I have just gone from bland to brand!
In today’s age and time, branding is essential as it allows you to stand out and show the recruiters your value.
If you need help in branding or would like me to review your resume, drop me an email here.